Then there were Three
by RedLady
Summary: The three prime evils were defeated along time ago. But are they truly dead? An Amazon attempts to find out, until she developes disturbing problems of her own.
1. The Girl Who Began to Hate

Then there were Three  
  
By: RedLady  
  
  
  
This story is dedicated to three people...(Hence the name. J/K.)  
  
First of all there is *Warblade* my number one lucky fan! (Here's a story dedicated to you!  
Even though it is not a funny one I hope you like it!)  
  
Then there is *Chazbone* who put me into his own story. (Happy belated birthday! Hope you  
don't mind the "joint" dedication.)  
  
And last of all there is *BeserkRage* who trusted me when he needed help. (Hey look it is  
about Amazons! Whenever I think of Amazons I think of that story you wrote. He he.)  
  
Author's Note: I had been debating on putting this up on fanfiction. Because I didn't memorize  
the manual and strategy guide and don't feel as if I am an accurate historian of the Sanctuary  
world... (I haven't even played Diablo 1!) So I think it is safe to say that this is an alternate  
universe as opposed to the real universe of Diablo 1 and 2. It is a couple generations after the  
second game though. And I realize that there will be a lot of questions in the beginning. But if  
you stick to the story and read, I will try and answer them all. This is one of my first attempts at  
a serious story. So here goes...  
  
  
: )  
  
  
  
  
Many years ago the Lord of Terror was released into the world of Sanctuary. Some time after  
that it is know that Diablo released his two brothers from their soul stones. It is strange that  
there were simply three Prime Evils. And then there were three hero's who would take the fate  
of the world into their hands...  
  
___________________Prologue___________________  
  
  
She looked at her students sighing. She was one of the last great teachers. The old traditions  
were forgotten and she tried in vain to keep them alive. Yet the younger generations saw the  
change around them and were not content with the old ways. So new ways were invented and  
the old forgotten. She was old and the only one who remembered the past. And she would try to  
teach it to her students.  
  
Nevora waited calmly as the students settled down. She would not tell them if they were not  
willing to hear. She eyed one student above the rest. Elsafira, an orphan child whom was a little  
older than the others. The clan had taken her in and would teach her their ways. The ways of  
the Amazons. Yet she wondered if it was a mistake. . .  
  
Finally the young girls were ready to listen. She got ready to speak. But she couldn't tell them  
right out what she meant to say. She decided to test them of their knowledge.  
  
"How many Prime Evils were there?" She asked her voice clear and strong.  
  
The girls murmured wondering at the seemingly simple question.  
  
"Three!" Helena yelled out.  
  
"Yes three!" Pepita agreed.  
  
The rest nodded including Elsafira.   
  
"And how many heroes stood out among the rest when Diablo first emerged from Hell?" She  
continued.  
  
This the young girls pondered not sure. They went through the foreign names in their head.  
  
"There was only one who defeated him, the Dark Wanderer." Terasha thought out loud.  
  
"But there were five wasn't there?" Helena argued.  
  
"I thought there was seven!" Pepita added.  
  
Finally Elsafira yelled, "Three!"   
  
Nevora gazed at the girl thoughtfully. She couldn't tell what the girl was thinking. The young  
girl seemed so innocent yet serious at the same time. Nevora nodded.   
  
"Yes. Everything seems to happen in threes. Remember that. Three is a very evil number . . ."  
  
______________________________________________________________________________  
  
  
"But it is just a number!" She had argued. Nevora remembered the passionate argument Elsafira  
had put on that day. She knew not the ways of an Amazon and thought in a different way than  
the other young Amazons. She was taught the Amazon ways, yet would never fully be a true  
Amazon. She had long pasted the age of influential childhood and had already been imprinted  
by whatever truths her parents had taught her.   
  
She had never talked about her parents. She seemed to accept the fact that they had died. Even  
Nevora did not know. Yet nobody worried because she excelled in the Amazon arts and quickly  
became a great archer and handled the javelin with grace. She memorized all the Amazon songs  
and dances. She could quote the poems of the gods and goddesses without taking a second  
thought. But for some reason Elsafira never seemed to be happy. She always wandered off alone  
on their island.   
  
_____________________________________________________________________  
  
"And now you die!" Dracos yelled. He swung his sword toward the oversized red demon! The  
death blow robbed whatever life was left from its victim..  
  
"What should we do with this?" His servant said holding up the soul stone.  
  
"I'd rather like to keep it..." Dracos said darkly. "To remind me of my victory over the Great  
Prime evil, Diablo..."  
  
He took the soul stone and a rope. Tying a knot around the cold stone he set it around his neck.   
His servant Braft stared at him wearily.   
  
"Are you sure that is a good idea?"  
  
"No. But what the hell? I've killed Diablo already. What other harm can he do?"  
  
Braft studied him and saw that he was serious. "There are worse things than death..." He  
muttered.  
  
"Yeah." Dracos agreed. And sheiffed his sword. "Like life..."  
  
_______________The Olympius Festival___________________________________  
  
They all stared as a Rogue walked off the boat.  
  
"Why is a Rogue here?" Terasha said disgustedly.  
  
"The Rogues are our sisters..." Pepita argued  
  
"But they are the ones who got attacked during the Prime evil wars..." Elsafira added.  
  
The tall Amazon Terasha smiled smuggly glad that she had someone on her side.  
  
"Even so..." Pepita said. "We have to be nice to them because they follow some of our same  
codes."  
  
"Yet they believe in the Sacred Eye..." Elsafira mumbled.  
  
"Miserable wenches..." Terasha mumbled under her breath.  
  
The Rogue was led to the islands council of elders. Nevora was on that council. The council and  
the Rogue met all day privately in their tents.  
  
______________________________________________________________________________  
  
No one knew what the council was about. But the next day a festival was called.   
  
"Elsa! Elsa!" Pepita called. Elsafira was studying a manuscript when Pepita found her. She  
jumped up and down excitably.  
  
"What is it Pepita?" Elsafira said confused. "We have to get ready for the Olympius Festival!"  
She said excitably.   
  
"Why? It will not occur till within a year."   
  
"The council have decided to have it early."  
  
"Is that what they spent all day talking about?" Elsafira said confused.  
  
"Who cares!" Pepita said excitably. "Because I am finally of age to compete! I gotta go practice  
my javelin throwing!" And with that Pepita ran out of the house.  
  
______________________________________________________________________________  
  
The games for the Olympius Festival were ready a week later. Amazons from all over the island  
of Lycander traveled to the eastern capital of Heracles. Elsafira felt as if she were ready. It was  
the first festival she and her friends were allowed to compete in.   
  
The Olympius festival was comprised of three main sections. The physical competitions such as  
running, javelin throwing, and archery; the mental competitions which tested on the person's  
knowledge of Amazon history and mythology; and finally a final section labeled the Fine Arts  
competition which was more of a talent show than anything else. It comprised of dancing,  
singing, and acting. This competition was held at the end of the festival and was more for fun  
than real competing.  
  
Elsafira and her friends were the only people from her village who were going to compete.   
There was her, the tall orange haired, green-eyed girl who was pretty good in all the areas of  
competition. There was Pepita the small girl with dirty-blond hair who was the best in knowing  
about the history of the Amazons, but was also pretty well at running and javelin. Then there  
was Terasha the muscular feisty tall blond who was good at anything physical. And finally there  
was Helena the medium sized golden blond, who was exceptionally good in the fine arts area,  
but also mythology and some physical activities.  
  
They all decided to stay in the same huge tent outside the city of Heracles. Nevora had wished  
them luck and had donated the big tent for them to stay in since the inns would probably all be  
full. Lately it seemed that Nevora was giving Elsafira strange looks. And then she remembered  
that ever since the elder had taken her in she had always stared at her so.   
  
"Tomorrow will be so fun!" Pepita said excitably when they had all settle in the big tent. "I  
heard that the festival will start out with a bang and they will shoot off fireworks brought here  
specifically from the mainland, West of our Island!"  
  
"That's all very nice and all. But be quiet and go to sleep." Terasha said annoyed.  
  
"Oh, don't you know how to have fun!" Helena argued. "I can't wait to see the plays! Do you  
know they are having plays this year? And I may be able to get up on stage and act. Wouldn't it  
be fun to see me act?"  
  
"We can't do anything if we don't sleep..." Terasha argued.  
  
"Yes, let us rest." Elsafira agreed.  
  
Helena just sighed and the four girls snuggled into her sleeping bag anticipating the next day.  
  
___________________Trip to Tristram______________________________  
  
"I've decided what we are going to do, Braft." Dracos said as they sat around the fire. His  
servant looked up at him from the spot where he lay.  
  
"We are going to go to Tristram."  
  
"But whatever for?" His servant asked afraid. "It was destroyed ages ago. There will be nothing  
left of the town."  
  
"That is why I want to go." Dracos continued. "Most people don't know about Diablo... not the  
true Diablo. I want to go where it all started."   
  
"But master!" Braft argued. Dracos held his hand up for silence.  
  
"The decision is final. If you do not wish to go then you may leave..."  
  
"I could never leave you Dracos. You know that. I just think that it would be wise to steer clear  
of the town of Tristram because..."  
  
"I WILL GO!!!" Dracos yelled at the man. Braft looked at him fearfully. His master seemed to  
have grown taller and did he see the soul stone glowing?  
  
He cringed back. Perhaps he should have left his master. But he couldn't. Something was  
keeping him there. Too bad he didn't know the pain he would soon be in. Even if he did know,  
Braft would probably still have stayed by his master's side.  
  
____________________The Archery Competition______________________________  
  
"And now introducing the archery competition!" An older Amazon called throughout the  
amphitheater. "Amazons! Take your places!"  
  
"Are you ready Elsa?" Pepita said nervously.   
  
"Yeah! What number are you?" She asked equally as nervous.  
  
"I've been assigned to the tenth target." She said looking over at the tenth line of Amazon's in  
front of an archery target over 200 yards away. "What about you?"  
  
"I'm on the second one." She said looking for her line. "And Terasha's in the first one. Imagine  
that?"  
  
"Did Helena decide to come?" Pepita asked.   
  
"No. You know she isn't too good at archery..."  
  
"Yeah, I guess not. I just hope one of us wins the finals. Wouldn't that bring our town honor?"  
  
"Girls, to your places." A large woman interrupted their conversation and they went into their  
assigned lines.  
  
"Good luck..." Pepita mouthed and was lost in the crowd.  
  
The archery competition consisted of many Amazons from throughout the islands. The finalist  
would each get points. The object of the Olympius Festival was to receive the most points in  
each competition you competed in. Then the top finalist would compete with each other and the  
number one finalist would become Queen of the Olympius Festival.   
  
The archery competition lasted most of the day. Their were many competitors throughout the  
island because; after all, archery was one of the Amazon's best sport. Most of the girls were at  
least able to hit the target, those who missed were terminated from the competition immediately.   
Elsafira felt sorry for those girls who walked out of the amphitheater, holding their heads down  
in shame.   
  
Their were ten lines, lined up in front of ten targets. In the beginning, the lines stretched almost  
outside the amphitheater. And then ten girls from each line were lined up in rows before their  
assigned target. Terasha went before Elsafira, not because she was in line number one, but  
because she was nearer the front of her line than Elsafira.  
  
Elsafira held her breath as Terasha began to shoot. But she shouldn't have worried because  
Terasha was more than able. When Elsafira's turn came she almost froze worried that maybe she  
would accidently miss the target and be one of those girls who walked out of the amphitheater in  
shame. She let her arrow go flying and heard the satisfying thunk as it hit the target in the bull's  
eye. She rooted for Pepita when her turn came. Pepita hit the target but not the bulls eye. But  
the first round was only meant to pull out those who couldn't hit the target at all.  
  
The second round was more challenging. You had to hit your arrow in one of the two rings  
outside of the bull's eye. Many people just barely made it while others just barely lost. But after  
the second round Terasha, Elsafira, and Pepita were still in.  
  
The third round was narrowed to having to hit the first ring or the bulls eye. Many more people  
were cut from this competition, but still many remained. Elsafira held her breath as they  
measured her arrow. She had just barely made it inside the first ring. She scolded herself, but  
got the thumbs up sign from Pepita.   
  
Pepita ended up getting cut from the third round. She walked passed Elsafira in her line. "I'm  
sorry Pepita..." Elsafira mumbled.  
  
Pepita smiled and answered, "Don't be..."  
  
Finally the fourth round consisted of hitting the bulls eye and not outside. The lines were  
bunched into one now and they all stood in front of one target waiting for their turn. Terasha  
winked at Elsafira as she walked up to the spot. Her arrow flew and indeed hit the bull's eye as  
it did all the other times.  
  
When Elsafira's time came she was sweating. But she heard her instructor's words in her head.   
  
"When shooting an arrow, you must block out all distractions. Become the arrow. Make it go  
where you want it to go." Nevora's voice rang in her head. She was annoyed because she had  
never heard of "becoming the arrow", but closed her eyes and immediately everything was shut  
out.   
  
People where shouting and cheering in the seats of the amphitheater but Elsafira didn't notice.   
She stared at the target and imagined that she was only 5 feet away from it. Then she let her  
arrow fly. And as if she were riding the arrow she watched in zoom toward the bulls eye and  
embed itself into the center of the target.  
  
Cheering brought her back to reality. She looked around and walked to the line which held the  
rest of the Amazon's which would go to the final round. Terasha gave her a high five, but was  
confused to see Elsafira's look of shock. What had just happened to her? Had she really  
"become" the arrow?  
  
Elsafira wasn't really paying attention to the final round of the archery competition. She was  
slightly aware of Terasha passing! The final round consisted of having to shoot the arrow  
exactly in the bull's eye. A little black dot was drawn inside the bulls eye. You had to hit that in  
order to pass. Elsafira didn't come out of her little trance until it was her turn. This time the  
crowd was silent. Only the occasional murmur was heard from the crowd.  
  
Elsafira wasn't aware of what she was doing as she inserted the arrow into her bow and pulled  
back the string. She felt the sting of her muscles as she held her bow perfectly still for a long  
time. Again she imagined the bull's eye only ten feet away from her. She saw the little black  
spot that defiled the red paint of the bulls eye.   
  
She hated that black spot.   
  
But why?  
  
She would cover up the black spot. It would defile the bull's eye no longer!  
  
But what was she talking about? True, she had to hit the black spot in order to pass, but why did  
she hate it.  
  
She hated it!  
  
But it was just a spot.  
  
It would be eliminated. And before she could argue she let go of the string and her arrow flew  
toward the horrible black spot.   
  
It was as if she was willing the arrow to go where it must. It was slightly off course, she knew it.   
"Please go toward the left!" She whispered. The wind blew. "Do not let the wind alter your  
course!" She whispered.  
  
And before the arrow hit the black mark, she knew that it would. The arrow was examined and  
she was announced as one of the finalist. Terasha shook her hand proudly while patting her on  
the back, but still Elsafira seemed unaware.  
  
Nevora watched from the stands. "And so it begin's my child..." She said under her breath sadly.   
"And so it begins."  
  
_______________________________________________________________________  
  
And I'd say that about wraps it up for today folks! How was it? I know it might be a little rushed  
but I don't want this to be too big of a story. Have fun and I hope you enjoy.  
  
: ) 


	2. The Hunt and the Lover

I know I have been away from the Diablo section for a while and perhaps I should update one of  
my other stories besides this one. But even though I realize this isn't one of my better stories, I  
still like it. I believe this chapter is a little better than the first, so enjoy! : )  
  
  
  
  
____________________________The Hunt__________________________________________  
  
  
  
After the archery competition the day had almost passed. The people ambled out of the stadium  
to enjoy the rest of the evening. Merchant tents were set up and music played throughout the  
city. One more competition was to take place that evening, the hunting competition, not only  
counting as one of the games, but also to feed the vast amount of people.  
  
Each town arranged as their own teams of hunters. The goal was to bring back the most or the  
biggest game. Elsafira, Terasha, Pepita, and Helena joined in on the hunt as their own team.   
Terasha was the strongest and quickest of the group and led the group trying to track a stag.   
Elsafira and Pepita were to help Terasha if needed and Helena was more there to skin and  
prepare the stag.   
  
During the hunt they met up with a rivaling team whom they would compete against for the rest  
of the Olympius festival. Terasha had been hunting a huge stag and another team appeared and  
seemed to be tracking the same animal.  
  
The rivaling group consisted of three girls who wore the red badge of a famous city, Lantis. It  
was led by a tall slender girl with slightly golden curls in her hair. Two other girls followed  
behind her. One was a scruffy looking girl with dirt and a scowl on her face. She wore a hat on  
her head which halfway covered her eyes. She seemed shorter than the normal Amazon, but that  
was more because she crouched lowly like a hunch back. The other girl had light brown hair  
with freckles on her face and was almost as tall as the leader. They all clutched rather  
decorative javelins.   
  
They all wore the red badge of their village. At first the group acted friendly. But Elsafira  
sensed something that seemed not quite right with the three.   
  
"Greetings..." The leader said pleasantly enough. They shook hands at the wrist as was  
customary for Amazons. "I'm Atlanta." She smiled. "This is Negra." She said pointing to the  
crouching girl. The scruffy girl smiled, baring her crooked teeth. "And this is Jenya." She  
pointed to the brown headed girl. The girl nodded curtly in their direction.  
  
"I'm Terasha." The tallest Amazon in their team said. She shook Atlanta's hand again.  
  
"I'm Helena!" Helena stepped forward eager to join in the conversation.  
  
"My name's Pepita." Pepita said somewhat shyly.   
  
The three looked at Elsafira curiously. "I'm Elsafira." She muttered.  
  
"Are you a full blooded Amazon?" Atlanta asked almost nonchalantly seeing Elsa's bright red  
hair and green eyes. Elsafira's eyes widened not wanting to answer so personal a question.   
  
"That's no business of yours." Terasha defended as politely as she could.   
  
"She looks like a Rogue to me." The one called Jenya noticed.   
  
They all knew it was an insult to call an Amazon a Rogue. The relationship had changed  
between the Sisters of the Sightless Eye and the Amazon's all those years ago when the Prime  
Evils had roamed the lands. No one knew exactly why it had happened, but some Amazon's  
believed that the Rogues were to be blamed for the Lord of Terror's entrance into the lands of  
Sanctuary. And though the Rogues were still treated with some respect as distance relatives to  
the Amazons, behind their backs jokes and insults were flung their way.  
  
"Now look here!" Pepita argued. "She's as much as an Amazon as you and me!"   
  
Negra snarled at her and Pepita backed up a little nervously. Atlanta simply shrugged and bent  
down to examine the hoof prints of a stag. Negra crouched down to join her. "This must be the  
biggest one in all the forest!" She murmured amazed at the huge prints.  
  
"We were tracking this stag." Elsafira argued. Atlanta stood up tall before the red headed girl.   
  
"Were you?" She asked not expecting an answer.  
  
"Actually yes." Terasha said stepping in front of the Amazon. Atlanta smiled mockingly.   
  
"I say we were tracking it first!" Negra snarled shaking her javelin at the group.   
  
"I tell you what..." Atlanta began as a plan seemed to form in her mind. "Who ever catches up to  
it first, and throws the killing blow gets to claim it as their prize."   
  
"All right..." Terasha said clutching her javelin.  
  
"Are you sure we should do this?" Helena whispered.   
  
"Terasha is the best tracker in our village." Pepita assured.   
  
"Atlanta is the fastest runner in our village." Negra argued.   
  
"We'll just see..." Pepita continued.   
  
"Which way did it go?" Atlanta asked Negra. The scruffy girl took on look at the ground and  
pointed in the direction. Atlanta smirked at the group and then sped off in the direction.   
Terasha was quickly behind.  
  
Pepita and Elsafira sped off after Terasha. Negra and Jenya were right behind them. Elsafira  
sped off to the left and made her way through the bush. She was determined to show the girl,  
Atlanta that she was just as good as any Amazon. She noticed something on the ground and  
stopped.  
  
It was stag dung. It must have passed through this way! But Terasha or Atlanta were no where  
in sight. Elsafira ran in the direction she thought the stag had run. Silently as her teachers had  
taught her, she crept quickly through the forest. Something was running before her. She heard  
the thunderous hoof beats of the huge stag.   
  
It was as if she could see it clearly in the failing light even though it was at least 15 yards in front  
of her. She focused on the beast. Everything else was blocked out as Elsafira ran behind the  
animal raising her javelin high above her head.   
  
The stag always seemed to be just out of reach. A growl of frustration escaped from her throat.   
  
  
She hated the animal.   
  
  
The stag would die.   
  
  
It was as if something had taken over her body as she ran after the stag. Time around her  
seemed to slow and all noise seemed to stop. She saw the hind quarters of the stag and  
forcefully threw her javelin at it's flesh.   
  
She found herself running up to the dead stag. But it wasn't her javelin that had landed the  
killing blow. A javelin decorated in the red symbols of the city Lanis protruded from it's side.   
Atlanta stood proudly besides the dead animal. She smiled up at Elsafira.   
  
"Looks like the victory's mine, Rogue." She smirked. Elsafira growled and for a moment a look  
of fear shone in Atlanta's eyes. Elsafira hated the tall haughty Amazon. She hated the dead stag.   
She hatefully and forcefully pulled out her javelin from the stag's haunches.   
  
Why couldn't it have been her javelin that had killed the stag? She hadn't even seen Atlanta kill  
it. Atlanta put her hand on her own red decorative javelin and whistled. Jenya and Negra came  
into the clearing and smiled triumphantly when they noticed Atlanta standing next to the stag.   
Elsafira noticed that Terasha was already behind her. Pepita ran up behind Jenya and Negra  
wheezing for air.   
  
"Looks like we get to show off this big fat stag which WE killed." Negra stressed even though  
she hadn't really had any part in the hunt. Jenya patted Atlanta on the back.   
  
"Good job Atlanta." She said. "We sure showed them." She turned and smirked at Elsafira.  
  
Elsa hated them all!   
  
She was about to lunge at the brown haired girl when Terasha put her hand on her shoulder.   
"Come on Elsafira." She murmured. "We'll make up for it by catching the most game out of  
everyone." She contended. Elsafira glared at them once more and turned.   
  
Later on as she reflected upon the incident she hadn't known what came over her. It was as if  
she wasn't acting like herself...  
  
They managed to catch two Does and a couple of rabbits. Terasha had been the one who had  
helped more than anyone. She tracked and killed both of the deer. But Pepita couldn't contain  
her joy when she managed to kill a rabbit with her bow. It turned out that it had been injured by  
someone else's arrow, but she was still proud of herself.   
  
Elsafira helped Helena prepare the animals and bring them back to the clearing where the food  
was being prepared. Elsafira wasn't feeling too helpful to the team and tried to make up for it by  
helping Helena skin the doe.  
  
"No, no... you are doing it all wrong!" Helena had squeaked. "You'll ruin the skin if you do it  
that way." She then did it on her own, leaving Elsa nothing to do but watch.  
  
The game gathered by each team had been calculated by the judges. Most of the teams had  
managed to bring some type of meat to the table. Elsafira's team still got a sufficient amount of  
points though the hunting didn't count as much as the normal games. Elsafira glared at Atlanta  
and her team as they showed off the huge horns from the stag they had killed. They had  
probably received the most points out of everyone because of the size of the beast.   
  
Elsafira and the others from her village chose a table and sat down to eat. "You're awfully quite  
today Elsa..." Terasha noticed. Elsa looked up from her meal.   
  
"Yes, is something wrong?" Pepita asked and then noticed Atlanta and her team showing off  
their prize. "Don't let them bother you Elsa." Pepita muttered. "We'll beat them in the next  
competition."  
  
"What is the next competition?" Elsa wondered.   
  
"Running." Terasha muttered.   
  
"Oh, I can't wait for the physical competitions to be over with! I can't wait to show the judges  
my new dance!" Helena interrupted. "I added a couple of my own steps onto the Eagle dance  
and I want to see what they think!" She said excitably.  
  
"We'll bring in the points for the physical part of the festival and you can bring in the points for  
the fine arts part of the festival." Pepita compromised. "And we all bring in points for the  
mental part! That's easy."  
  
"Easy for you!" Terasha teased. "You've practically memorized all Amazon history since the  
world began date by date!"  
  
"Sorry I wasn't much help today." Elsafira muttered interrupting their conversation.  
  
They all looked at her. "Don't worry Elsa." Pepita assured. "Tomorrow you can compete in the  
running competition and win!" She said optimistically.   
  
"I don't know." Terasha said worriedly. They looked at her surprised.   
  
"What do you mean?" Pepita wondered because it wasn't like Terasha to be worried.  
  
"That Atlanta girl can run pretty fast. I didn't even see her till she had already killed the stag."  
  
"But she had a head start." Helena concluded.  
  
"She let me catch up to her. I know she did because she was looking behind laughing at me.   
Then as if she had the legs of the wind, she sped away in front of me in one split second."  
  
"You were probably imagining things." Helena speculated.   
  
"We will see tomorrow." Terasha said darkly. "None of us stand a chance against her. Not even  
me or Elsa."   
  
"Which reminds me..." Pepita remembered. "How did you catch up to Atlanta so fast, Elsa?"  
Pepita asked. "One moment you were right next to me and the next you weren't."  
  
"I followed the trail left by the stag." Elsa remembered. "It had veered off to the left and so I  
followed it. Atlanta must have taken a short cut because she got there before me."  
  
"Or she ran faster than the wind." Terasha added.   
  
"Hi Elsa." A male voice interrupted them. They looked up to see a younger man smiling at  
them. He was looking at Elsafira especially.   
  
"Oh hi, Derek." Elsa said shyly recognizing the youth. She hadn't seen him in three years and  
was shocked to suddenly see his face. "I saw you in the archery competition. I knew you could  
do it! Good job." He said shaking her hand in the Amazon manner.   
  
"Thanks." She answered blushing. He noticed the other three Amazons staring at him.  
  
"I thought you were off studying at the Academy." Terasha asked.  
  
"Yes... they let me off for the festival." He explained. "I still can't figure out why they decided  
to have it early, but it's fine by me." He shrugged. He nodded to the girls and stumbled away.   
"See you later." He called behind him and went off to get some venison.   
  
"You'd think he was gonna ask you to mate or something." Helena muttered to Elsafira. Pepita  
hit her in the arm.   
  
"You're just jealous." Pepita said.   
  
"Ow... well it's obvious he thinks your attractive." She said to Elsa. Elsa just blushed.   
  
She had known Derek ever since she had been taken in by the Amazon tribe by Nevora. He had  
been her first friend besides Pepita, Terasha, and Helena. And though a male Amazon's path  
differed from that of a female, they still managed to stay best friends. And then he went off to  
study to be a scholar in one of the academies far from their village and she hadn't seen him ever  
since that day he had left.   
  
She tugged at her necklace. The reddish stone on the end had belonged to her mother. He had  
taken it and made it into a necklace for her before he left. She remembered the embarrassing  
kiss they had shared before getting caught by Nevora. The Elder had simply laughed and sent  
the boy on his way though any other Elder Amazon would have probably been more stern with  
the two children.   
  
"He looks so different now." Elsa muttered.   
  
"Yes and older." Pepita added.  
  
They continued eating in silence as Elsa reflected on her old friend.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
___________________Hole above the heart____________________________________  
  
  
He woke up to the sound of painful screaming. The fire had died down to only a glimmer. He  
looked over to see his servant Braft wringing in agony. Confused, he got up and went over the  
the man.  
  
"Braft!" He said shaking the man awake. The man groaned in pain. "What's wrong!" Draco  
yelled at the man. He shook him harder.  
  
"It... hurts!" Braft wailed out clutching at his chest. "Make it stop!" He whined.  
  
Draco grabbed at the mans hands and pushed them away. Braft yelped in pain. Draco tore open  
the mans shirt and looked too see what the problem was.   
  
What looked like a jagged hole on Braft's chest, startled the warrior. He jumped back frightened  
at first and then stepped closer to have a better look. It almost looked as if someone or  
something had burned a hole into the man's skin. The man cried out in pain again and put his  
hands just below the wound. It was just above the heart.  
  
  
__________________________The Necklace____________________________________  
  
  
  
  
Elsa had gotten ready for bed and was about to sleep when a voice called to her outside. She  
groggily went outside and grabbed a cloak to protect against the cold air. She lit a torch and saw  
that it was Derek who awaited her.  
  
She simply stood there staring at him.   
  
"What's wrong Elsa? Surprised to see me?" He teased.  
  
"Yes." She answered seriously. "What do you want?" She asked almost rudely. She put the  
torch in a holder near the tent.   
  
He walked up to her and put his hand on her chin. "I just wanted to see if you were the same  
woman I remembered." He said lowly leaning over to kiss her. She backed up.  
  
"That was three years ago." Elsa retorted. He looked at her confused.   
  
"Do you think my feelings would change for you in those three years?" He asked. "You're the  
only girl I've ever..." Her eyes widened. He sighed. He took her hand and rubbed it against his  
face.  
  
"I'm scared Elsa." He murmured.   
  
"Scared?" She asked confused.  
  
"The teachers have been studying the stars more often lately. They say something is coming...   
Some sort of evil. Why do you think they are having the festival early? The soothsayers that  
stand in front of the acadamy have been yelling at us to repent and to enjoy our last days in  
Sanctuary because something gonna happen..."  
  
"You believe them?" Elsa scoffed. He looked over at her and smiled.  
  
"That's why I always like you Elsa. You were different from all the other Amazons."  
  
"What do you mean?" Elsa asked a bit offended. He laughed and rustled her hair.   
  
"You don't think like them." He started. "You don't believe in all of the legends and stories like  
most Amazons."  
  
"They are just myths..." Elsa started. "Myths to teach us..."  
  
"But everyone teaches them as if they are truth!" Derek argued. "But you never believed them  
did you?" He asked.   
  
She looked down. What had her mother taught? She couldn't remember her face anymore so  
how could she remember her teachings? Nevora had taught her of the older legends of ancient  
heroes and gods and goddesses. But Elsafira had never thought of them as real, but merely  
symbolic. Nevora had never persuaded this type of thinking but had never dissuaded it either.   
  
"Just because some old man who has lost his senses says the world is gonna end, doesn't mean  
that it is!" Elsa argued ignoring the question. He laughed and hugged her. She stiffly relented.   
He reached to her neck and pulled out the necklace.  
  
"I see you still wear this." He smiled.  
  
"It it important to me." She whispered putting her hand over his. He smiled proudfully. "Not just  
because you made it," She continued. "But because it's the only thing I have that belonged to my  
mother." She said fingering the gem between his fingers. He leaned over to kiss her just as an  
old woman walked up behind them.  
  
"I see you have started where you last left off?" The old voice said mischievously behind them.   
They quickly stood up and swung around to see Nevora walking up to them wrapped in an old  
worn purplish cloak. She smiled devilishly at the two youngsters.   
  
"Why young Derek!" She greeted. "How you have grown! You are studying hard at the  
Academy? You're mother would be proud." She said not waiting for an answer. "Does she  
know you are here at the festival?" She asked slyly.  
  
"No ma'am." He answered bowing his head before the older woman.   
  
"Perhaps you should go and find her?" Nevora wondered. "I'm sure she will be happy to know  
how you are doing."   
  
"Yes Nevora..." Derek said and turned to go.   
  
"You behave yourself now." Nevora called after him. Then she turned to Elsafira.   
  
"Elsafira..." She greeted. "How are you feeling?" She asked as if Elsafira had just recovered  
from a cold.  
  
"I am fine." She answered a bit confused by the old woman's manner.  
  
"I noticed you were talking of your necklace before I interrupted." She said almost  
absentmindedly.  
  
"Yes..." Elsa said wrapping her hand around the gem. Nevora turned and noticed her hand.   
  
"Can I see it?" She whispered. Elsa slowly unwrapped her hand from the necklace. Nevora  
squinted as she eyed the stone.  
  
"Hmm..." She said thinking to herself. "Keep it safe." Nevora warned. "Wear it always and keep  
it safe." She said as if in a trance.  
  
"But... why?" Elsa yelled almost scared by the woman's strange manner. The woman looked at  
her confused.  
  
"Because it reminds you of your mother, of course." She said laughing. "I wouldn't want you to  
loose the only thing that you have of her."   
  
"I've had it for eight years." She said. "I don't think I will loose it now."  
  
"Good." Nevora said happily. "Good luck in the competition tomorrow." And with that she  
ambled away. Elsa was left to watch the old woman confused.  
  
  
  
________________________________________________________________  
  
  
And now to answer the reviews.  
  
  
Diablo-2-Freak–Has anyone seen where this dude went? I haven't seen him in a while. Oh well.  
If you are reading this D2F, thanks for the encouraging review. It seems like I got one person  
intrigued by this story.  
  
BerserkRage–Hey Berserk! I'm glad you liked the first chapter! Is this chapter good as well?  
^_^  
  
Chazbone--I am well aware of the Amazon culture now after reading the section on the Amazons  
in the Diablo 2 Manuel. Also, this story is almost like an alternate universe of the Diablo 2  
world, but not quite. You'll see what I mean in the future but in the meantime... just trust me!   
Also I realize that the guy who fought Diablo was well respected. Draco is not this guy... I  
know... so much mystery! Eh heh heh heh...  
  
Stonecold–Heh, he wasn't really reviewing this story, but telling me something. But just to  
acknowledge his review! Heeh heeh.   
  
: )  
  
  
Thanks for reading and please review if you want. 


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